Enzyme electrodes

Abstract

An improved enzyme electrode includes a three-dimensional redox polymer network having redox enzymes bound thereto, and also having a protein excluding polymeric coating.

We claim: 
     
       1. An enzyme electrode comprising: an electrode having a testing surface;   a transducing film covering the testing surface, which film comprises a cross-linked redox polymer network to which a redox enzyme is chemically bound, wherein the redox enzyme electrically communicates through the film with the electrode thereby transducing substrate flux to an electrical current; and   a polymeric film covering the transducing film and excluding from the transducing film proteins of molecular weights exceeding 5000 daltons.   
     
     
       2. The enzyme electrode of claim 1, wherein the polymeric film is polyurethane. 
     
     
       3. The enzyme electrode of claim 2, wherein the polymeric film further includes palmitic acid. 
     
     
       4. The enzyme electrode of claim 1, wherein the polymeric film is polycarbonate. 
     
     
       5. The enzyme electrode of claim 1, wherein the polymeric film includes multiple anionic functions covalently bound to the polymeric film. 
     
     
       6. The enzyme electrode of claim 5, wherein the polymeric film includes multiple carboxylate, sulfonate, phosphate, or phosphonate functions covalently bound to the polymeric film. 
     
     
       7. The enzyme electrode of claim 6, wherein the polymeric film contains fluorine.